Questions to Ask Potential Apartment Roommates

Whether this is your first time cohabitating with someone else or you’ve done it before, it’s always a good idea to get to know the people or person that you’ll be rooming with.

Even if the person you are planning to move in with is someone that you know, problems still arise. Before signing your name and committing to live with this person for a set period of time, make sure that you’re compatible with one another.

Whether this person is a significant other, a family member, friend, co-worker, or someone you’ve never met, getting a better sense of each other’s expectations will equip you for what’s to come.

Below are a list of questions to get you started when learning about your, potential roommate.

Questions About Rent

What is the max amount they can afford on rent?
Have they ever failed to pay rent before?
How do they feel about splitting the cost of rent and utilities? Will everything be 50/50?
How long do they plan on staying?
How will chores be split?
What’s the arrangement for decorating and furnishing the apartment?

Questions About Relationships

What is their romantic situation? Or, do they plan on being in a relationship?
Will significant others be spending the night? If so, how often?

Questions about Pets

Do they have any pets?
Do they plan on getting any pets?
If you have a pet or if you plan on getting a pet, would they mind?

Questions About Agenda

What do they do for a living?
If they have a job, what are their hours?
Do they work from home?
Are they a morning person or a night person?
When do they like to go to bed and wake up?
What conditions do they need to sleep?
What is their routine on an average day?
How might they prioritize the following activities: work, play, clean, rest?
What’s their policy on guests? What about overnight quests.
How often will they be in the apartment?

Questions About Drugs or Illegal History

Do they smoke?
Do they drink? How often do they drink?
Have they ever been arrested? If so, what for?

Questions About Individual Habits

How often do they clean?
What do they do on the weekends?
What do they like to do after getting home from school/work?
Do they plan on having friends/family over or will they be going to their place?
What are the ground rules for the kitchen?
What are their pet peeves?
What do they want in a roommate?
What kind of TV shows, video games or music do they like?
Are they introverted or extroverted?
Are they more conservative or liberal?

Questions About Allergies

Do they have any food restrictions that you should be aware of?
Are they allergic to anything?

Questions About Prior Living Condition

Have they had a roommate before? If so, are they still friends with them today?
Do they have references?
What challenges concerning rent have they faced in the past?

It’s important that you know what you’re looking for from a roommate. Know the answers to these questions ahead of time, before asking the potential roommate, so that you can judge whether or not they “passed” the test.